When I first started writing, literary agents were an enigma to me--mystical
creatures, who I imagined spent their days reading inspiring works, dining with
editors in fancy New York restaurants, and jet-setting off to Hollywood to
negotiate lucrative film deals for clients. And sure, some of that really does
happen. But when I was fortunate enough to land one of those agents, I quickly
came to realize that a typical day for a literary agent includes much less
glamorous activities: Reading query letters from hopeful authors includes
sending them a disappointing “No thank you.” Editing book proposals demands
hours of word-smithing. And matching a prospective book project with the right
editor at the right publishing house takes networking, persuasion, finesse, and
lots of just plain work. In short, a literary agent is like a tireless
gatekeeper to the world of publishing, a writer’s travel partner along the bumpy
road to publication, a dream maker.
That’s exactly why I enjoy writing the Novel Idea Mysteries
featuring Lila Wilkins, literary agent and amateur sleuth. Lila sees herself as
someone who helps authors realize their dreams. I depict her working life with
both the glamorous aspects she enjoys and the tedious efforts her career
requires. More important, I get to show the thrill—for her and the writer—when a
publishing contract lands on her desk. By creating Lila’s adventures, I can live
vicariously through her and experience a bit of what it might be like to open
the publishing door for aspiring authors. Of course, along with finding amazing
authors, Lila also happens to discover her fair share of dead bodies. (Something
I have no desire to do in real life.) But in the end, she always gets a
publishing contract for her author… and brings the killer to justice.
Susan Furlong
Literary agent and amateur sleuth Lila Wilkins is back to seal the deal in
the New York Times bestselling Novel Idea Mystery series.
Lila is
showcasing some of her biggest authors at a bridal expo. But when the joyous
event turns deadly, she’ll have to figure out who penned the perfect
crime...
The Novel Idea Literary Agency has planned a wedding-themed week
for Inspiration Valley, celebrating not only North Carolina’s best vendors but
also some of the agency’s most popular bridal books. The fact that Lila can use
the event to plan her own impending nuptials is just the icing on the
cake.
But wedding bells turn to warning bells when Lila finds a dead man
facedown in the frosting. Soon it’s discovered that the victim was connected to
several Novel Idea authors, all of whom quickly become suspects in the case.
It’s up to Lila and her fellow agents to find the real killer before one of
their clients winds up scribbling stories from behind bars...
Lucy Arlington was originally conceived by the writing team of Ellery Adams
and Sylvia May, two friends who collaborated on an idea that became A Novel Idea
Mystery Series. Together, the duo penned the first three books in the series:
BURIED IN A BOOK, EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK, and BOOKS, COOKS, AND CROOKS. As time
passed and their personal writing workload grew, the two decided to pass the
baton to another terrific author: Susan Furlong. In addition to writing
as Lucy Arlington, Susan Furlong is the author of the upcoming series, The
Georgia Peach Mysteries.
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